POLICE chief David Thompson is one of the few people in the country who can spare a smile at the way England’s South African World Cup campaign went.

While the nation was left shell-shocked by the national team’s humiliating exit to Germany, the new West Midlands Deputy Chief Constable was pleased with how things went.

To be fair to the Formula 1 fan he was less focused on the on-field activities than on the policing operation.

Mr Thompson, who arrived this week from Greater Manchester Police where he was Assistant Chief Constable, was the Association of Chief Police Officers’ lead on World Cup safety.

And he heaped praise on the good behaviour of both England’s travelling fans and supporters at home which had helped quash the hooligan stereotype.

While other tournaments have been marred with trouble, the travelling band of supporters were well behaved and played a big part in the tournament’s carnival atmosphere.

Part of that was down to banning orders which prevented yobs from travelling to South Africa.

And fans back at home remained upbeat despite the team’s poor performances with only a handful of incidents across the country.

Mr Thompson, who played a key part in the policing of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, said things had gone “really, really well”.

“There seems to have been a real party atmosphere,” he said.

An Assistant Chief Constable at Greater Manchester Police since 2007, Mr Thompson brings more than 20 years of policing experience to his new role.

He headed the force’s Specialist Operations Branch and was also responsible for counter terrorism.

As the force’s new deputy, Mr Thompson has pledged to spend time visiting different areas of the force, meeting members of the public to listen to them and learn from their experiences of policing and ideas for the future.

On his first day, he spent the evening at a community meeting in Spakhill, and praised the work carried out by neighbourhood officers.

Mr Thomson said: “Having spent my entire policing career at Greater Manchester Police, it was time for a change.

“I have been struck by the enthusiasm of all the staff I have met about a new approach to policing that puts the public first.

“I want us to really get to know the streets and communities that need our help, not just rely on meetings to inform our priorities.

“I want people to feel empowered to take ownership of policing and join us as volunteers, through Neighbourhood Watch schemes, setting up local residents groups or the Specials.